


A secret sign only we know

by flyingoverthehorizon



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Asexual Character, Dancing, Fluff, M/M, Sex Aversion, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 10:32:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17098952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingoverthehorizon/pseuds/flyingoverthehorizon
Summary: Dancing with your best friend, can it get any better? Not when he's the one that understands you like no one else.





	A secret sign only we know

**Author's Note:**

> title from Baby Don't Stop
> 
> heyyya!  
> I had this idea simmering in my head for months before it finally settled and this started to form. who doesn't want ace taeten? I knew I needed it at least! as if it was a sign three dance videos by ten came out during the time I wrote this!  
> this is my first NCT fic and I am excited but a little scared. please be nice to me and enjoy cuddly taeten~

Ten slumps to the floor and takes large gulps from his water bottle. 

“The break is over in five. Make sure to be back by then,” the instructor shouts after the people leaving the room.

Taeyong comes over and sits down next to Ten, wiping his face with a towel. Taeyong always sweats excessively when he dances. Ten offers his water bottle. 

“I like this choreo,” Taeyong says after a few mouthfuls of water. “It is difficult, and fast, but it looks so good when we get it right!”

Ten nods in agreement. “The isolations are hard to nail, but I guess it’s just down to muscle memory now.”

“Jaehwan talked about having some sort of performance in Hongdae if we manage to learn this fast enough. He wants us to do it before the end of the month since it’s going to start getting cold once November rolls around.”

“That would be really cool. I want to do the popping choreo we did last month too then. I bet it would look amazing!”

“We can ask him what he’s planning, and hopefully we can make some suggestions.”

“Okay, we’re gonna start again now!” The instructor, Jaehwan, claps his hands to get everyone’s attention. “I would like to finish the choreo today so we can move on to polishing it next week.”

Taeyong gets up from the floor and holds a hand out to help Ten up. “One more hour. Let’s do this!”

\--

“Hand, bam! Hand, bam! Thrust. Head.” The instructor is showing them the moves, and she’s getting a little annoyed judging by her voice. There are some in the class that aren’t catching up as fast as she was hoping. It is an advanced class and even if anyone technically is allowed to sign up it is expected that you will be able to deal with the speed and difficulty of the choreographies. 

Ten is fine with it because it gives him time to adjust his moves to make them smoother and nicer. He glances at Taeyong who looks tired. It must have been a long day at work, so he probably is also fine with Ara taking things slower. 

The class soon ends and Ara lets them go with the words “Make sure you know the choreo so far like the back of your hand until next time. We are a little behind in the schedule so I don’t want to have to teach you this part again next time, okay?” She gets an affirmative answer from most.

Ten and Taeyong walk together to the subway station. It is pretty late. They’ve had two dance classes back to back and now they have to hurry before the subway stops running. 

“Are you working on the same set tomorrow?” Ten asks.

“Yeah they have two or three more days to film there.” 

“Do you wanna come over and sleep at my place then? It will be closer for you to go to work tomorrow, and you don’t have to worry about missing the last connection on your way home tonight.” Ten offers. “We could get take-out chicken if you want to.”

“Yeah, that sounds nice.”

Taeyong did an undergraduate in film in university, but was so done with university that he has no plans on going back and do a full graduate degree if he can help it. Right now he is picking up every odd job, preferably within film, that he can find. He works at sets doing all kinds of things for minimum wage. It an exhausting work but he does anything he can to build his resumé, apart from going back to school. He had been ready to combust at the end and he is not keen on going back for more. Thankfully he can live with his parents so most of his income goes towards dance classes.

Ten came to Seoul to learn Korean, and started taking dance classes pretty soon after moving. He dreams of being a dance teacher and once his korean got good enough he was able to get a job in a convenience store and after one year of studies quit his language classes. The pay at the store is not great and he can only afford a tiny one-room apartment, but it’s his place and he almost only sleeps there anyway. In between putting in as many hours at work as he can and taking dance classes there is not much time he can spend lounging at home. 

When they get on the subway the cart is mostly empty, but they try to keep their voices down anyway, so to not disturb the tired businessman and the older ladies in the corner. 

Taeyong pulls out his earphones and gives one of the buds to Ten. “I found this song yesterday and I was thinking of doing a choreo for it. Do you think it would be any good?”

Ten bobs his head to the beat. “Yeah this could have some really nice footwork… and throw in some vogue into these parts. I am thinking mainly jazz and vogue for this one. I think that could look really cool…” He drifts off. “Oh, that was a nice bridge! You should totally have some sort of floorwork for that and then some isolations as you get up!”

“I like the way you think. Jazz and vogue is an interesting combo for this song but I can see it work. Thank you! I love how into these things you can get.”

Ten laughs softly. “You are as into these things as I am. And besides, you wouldn’t have asked if you didn’t want my input. What were your original ideas for the choreo?”

“Hmmmm… I wasn’t sure but I was also thinking jazz, but trying to keep it pretty clean with a little locking or isolations thrown in. But I might just add vogue now because I really liked your idea.”

\--

As soon as they get out of the subway they order chicken. It will hopefully arrive around the time they get to Ten’s apartment. 

As Ten unlocks the door his phone starts ringing. It is the delivery, as hoped, and Ten asks Taeyong to go down and get it. “I will pay you back as soon as we’ve got the food, promise!”

Once they are seated at Ten’s small fold-up floor table, Taeyong has gotten his money and the food is on full display they dig right in. Dancing makes them both very hungry, but it’s not until they sit down with food they realize. 

It doesn’t take them long to finish all the food. Taeyong puts down the last bone and wipes his fingers on a wet napkin, sighing loudly. “That was so good!”

He scoots around the table to sit next to Ten and lean his head on his shoulder. “I have to get up early tomorrow. I start at eight.”

Ten looks at his phone. “It’s past midnight. We should probably sleep then.” He gently pushes Taeyong’s head off his shoulder and stands up. “Come on sleepy head. Let’s go brush our teeth.”

Taeyong has a toothbrush at Ten’s place, as well as a shirt or two to sleep in since he stays over so often. Ten has the same in Taeyong’s room. They quickly brush their teeth and Taeyong is clinging like a koala to a tree the entire time. 

“We should probably shower,” Ten suggests. “You won’t have the time to do that tomorrow morning, and you can’t go to set smelling of sweat.”

Taeyong groans. “I guess you’re right. Think you can scrub my back?”

They are both tired so the shower only takes a few minutes. Ten only has one towel, though, so they have to take turns. When they both have their underwear on again they try to help each other dry their hair, but it’s probably more ineffective than if they had done it by themselves. It gives them both a giggle, though, and they are still giggling when they pull on shirts to sleep in. 

“I want to be little spoon tonight,” Taeyong declares as he climbs into bed. 

“Whatever you say.” 

Ten gets in after Taeyong and pulls the blanket over the both of them. They do this a lot. They get close and cuddly when they are alone, but it has never moved past that. They can shower together and there will be no sexual tension. Ten knows some of his dance friends have joked about how wild Taeyong must be in bed because of the way he dances and his stage presence. 

Ten has never seen anything of this supposed sex god. He will admit that Taeyong can be intense when he dances, but he cannot see that “porn star aura” some friends are talking about. 

He pushes the thoughts away and soon falls asleep, Taeyong wrapped tightly in his arms. 

\--

They have been friends for a little over a year the first time they kiss.

They both had the day after off, but Taeyong decided to come over anyway, and they ordered chicken and beer. Usually they don’t drink much and soon they were both tipsy. Taeyong gets extra cuddly when he drinks but Ten was the one that wrapped his arms around Taeyong’s middle first. Taeyong leaned back on Ten and said “I am so happy that I know you, I could kiss you,” to which Ten responded “I am not stopping you.”

It was just a few presses of lips before they got back to just being cuddly. When it was time for sleep Ten couldn’t stop looking at Taeyong’s face as he played with Ten’s fingers. Usually they would spoon because Ten’s bed is very small, but this time they were laying pressed together facing each other. Had they been sober then they probably would have worried about a shift in their relationship, but nothing really changed. 

About a month later they run into a bump. Over the month they had made out a few times but things didn’t stay heated for long before naturally dying down to comfortable cuddling. One day when they are alone in Taeyong’s parents’ apartment they end up making out against the door to Taeyong’s room. 

It isn’t that Ten is in a hurry to get ‘down and dirty’, but maybe Taeyong is just waiting for him to make a move? He gently pushes his thigh in between Taeyong’s. Taeyong gasps but pushes him away at the shoulders.

“I… not there…” He looks unsure. Ten immediately feels bad and withdraws completely. 

“I didn’t mean… I think I…” He trails off.

Taeyong reaches for Ten’s arm and gently grabs his wrist. He looks into Ten’s eyes. He tries to keep his gaze steady but it starts to waver as he struggles to find words. 

“I…” He starts over. “I don’t think I am into that?” It sounds more like a question. He tries to explain, not wanting Ten to feel bad for something out of his control. “Not with anyone. I don’t know, it just kills the mood for me.”

Ten still has that ugly feeling of dread that swirls in his stomach, but it has been soothed a little. 

Taeyong keeps explaining. “I like kissing, even making out. A lot. And I like holding hands and cuddling, but you already know that. I just don’t like the idea of those things turning sexual. Does that make sense?”

To Ten’s surprise it makes perfect sense. He has never thought of that but as soon as it is said out loud he realises it describes his own experience.

“I have never heard anyone say that before but when you put it into words it makes sense.” He puts a hand against his forehead and lets out a breathy laugh. He looks at Taeyong again. “It makes so much sense! That is what I feel too!”

When Taeyong looks momentarily confused Ten continues. “I know, it didn’t seem like that but I only did that thing because I thought you were waiting for me to take the next step. It never crossed my mind you were fine the way things were.”

Taeyong brushes Ten’s fringe from his forehead with the hand that isn’t holding onto Ten’s wrist. “I _am_ happy they way things are.” He looks into Ten’s eyes to make sure Ten understands.

Ten goes in for a hug. A long hug, squeezing Taeyong close. Taeyong hugs back and they could stay like this for hours, if their feet didn’t tire from standing still.

\--

Only some of their friends know they are dating. It is not the easiest to be out as a same gendered couple in South Korea, not even in Seoul. 

It seems like most of the friends who know about them think they fuck like bunnies. Taeyong isn’t sure but he suspects it is their dancing. Recently both of them have been featured in videos that go up on their dance studio’s YouTube channel. Apparently they have a knack for being on camera as they are often in the some of the first ones to be shown. Taeyong even got a solo in one on of the more sensual choreographies and the comment section is full of heart eyes, drops of water and tongues from people drooling over him. 

It is not until they get to choreograph a duet for a class that the teasing really takes off, though. One of their friends is teaching a couples class, but since a lot of the students aren’t actually couples the request for a duet rather than couple choreo arises. Ten and Taeyong are asked if they want to give choreographing a go and they both jump at the opportunity. 

The choreo contains a lot of touching, but doesn’t have as obvious gender roles as a lot of couple choreographies do. When they get to participate in the filming, since it is their intellectual property after all, they lay it on thick. They know each other well and they are not afraid to get up and personal with each other. In the end there is a lot of wolf whistling and hooting. It seems like it was well received.

They start getting questions about their sex life. Especially guys seems to want to know “how it works”. Taeyong wishes he could answer just to stop the questions, but now he just shrugs, which is interpreted as they are too kinky and wild to speak about it out loud. 

The reality would be seen as very boring. Taeyong is not bored, though. He’s having plenty of fun with Ten. 

\-- 

Ten is lying on his back on his bed, Taeyong is lying on top playing with Ten’s hair. Taeyong’s leg is slotted in between Ten’s and even if they are in just boxers and t-shirts it is all fine. There is no sexual intentions between them, and as long as they don’t start rubbing up against each other it should be fine. They have had a few awkward moments where the mood was completely thrown off by unintentional touching. Sometimes they are desperate for closeness and they end up all over each other. Knowing that neither of them are looking for sexual contact helps dispel the awkwardness and they can usually go back to just cuddling.

“Are you as excited as I am for tomorrow?”

“Hmmm?” Ten opens his eyes sleepily.

“Tomorrow. Are you excited?”

“Ah, yes, of course! I am actually surprised they’re letting us borrow the dance studio like that.”

“We’ve borrowed it before and we didn’t cause any trouble, so I guess they trust us.”

“But that was when we were asked to choreograph for a specific thing, not just to play around and practice whatever we want.”

“Still, I think we’ve proven ourselves trustworthy.” Taeyong places a kiss on Ten’s nose. “Now, do you want to just lounge around or do you want to get up and actually do stuff?”

Ten groans. “Tae, please, it’s late and I am sleepy.” He grabs Taeyong’s waist and flips them so they both lie on the side. He secures one leg over Taeyong’s and buries his face in his neck. 

“So... you want to just stay here? But think of all the fun stuff we could do! Eat pizza on a rooftop, go to a mall and try all the clothes but not buy anything, race each other along Han River. Only our imagination can stop us!”

“And me sleeping.” Ten mumbles against Taeyong’s chest.

“Party pooper.” Taeyong pouts.

Ten looks up at him. “It’s late, I’m tired. Can’t we do something here?”

Taeyong places a kiss on Ten’s forehead. “Do you have anything in mind?”  
“I don’t know… we could make out. Or just cuddle, but you seem to restless for that.” Ten stops and thinks. “You could massage me,” he says with a playful smile.

“What? No! That’s boring!”

“If you don’t have any better ideas, why don’t you do a romantic dance for me?”

Taeyong pouts.

“What, it’s a great idea! You get to get rid of some of that energy and I can just lay here.”

Taeyong is still pouting but detangles himself from Ten.

“Okay, what do you want to see?”

“Popping,” Ten smiles.

“But you are the one that’s better at that,” Taeyong whines.

“Gimmie whatever you got.”

“Fiiiine.” Taeyong walks over to their portable speaker and starts tapping on his phone. 

Billie Eilish’ Copycat starts playing, but Ten loudly protests. “This is not romantic! I don’t care how good this song is, you need to choose another one.”

After some scrolling Taeyong puts on Snow Angels by Sakima. Sakima usually does quite sexual songs, but they have talked about this. It’s hard to avoid songs about sex and some of them are amazing to dance to. It’s just the way it is. It’s something they are generally okay with.

This song is pretty happy, and not as dark and grimy as most of Sakima’s songs. Taeyong starts moving his arms and shoulders to the beat as he is getting into the mood. 

He starts pretty serious with arms and chest manifesting the beats, but soon it turns into cheesier moves, like his heart beating and showing love signs. 

Ten is smiling widely and almost cannot stop laughing when Taeyong’s popping chest generates a finger heart from inside his shirt. Taeyong’s facial expression of pretended surprise makes Ten laugh even harder. It dies down into a giggle when Taeyong’ pretends to be dragged around by the beating finger heart.

“Come here with that.”

Ten catches Taeyong’s hand the next time he passes by the bed, and drags him down.

“You’re cute,” Ten tells him.

“So you say.”

“I know, but that is because it is the truth.”

“Good. Because you are cute too.”

They lean in for a kiss, that turns into many more kisses, until they get tired and decide to sleep.

They find it easy to be relaxed with each other. They are comfortable like this. They don’t need their relationship to be different.

\--

Taeyong is almost bouncing with energy as he is warming up. 

He's been wanting to choreograph this song ever since a friend of his made a remix of it. He has a few ideas for the chorus and the bridge is almost done in his mind. He forces himself to relax and finish warming up to not strain any muscles. 

They are going to go pretty hard today because they have the studio for about two and a half hours. Taeyong would really like to be able to get the whole choreo done, but that depends on whether Ten wants to do other things too. 

When they are done warming up Ten leaves to use the bathroom and Taeyong takes the opportunity to start choreographing. 

He has done about two eights of moves by the time Ten returns. It is going very well today and the moves seem to come very naturally to him. 

Ten stops in the door on the way in. 

"What is this?" He sounds confused but curious. "Why have I never heard this remix before."

Taeyong stops dancing. "It's Minhwan's. Didn't I show this one to you? He sent it to me yesterday morning."

"No you didn't." Ten sounds a little accusing. "But I can see why you were excited to get here now. It sounds really good!"

"Right?!" 

"Okay, show me what you've got so far." Ten sits down by the music player to more easily help Taeyong reverse the song when needed. 

Ten tires of sitting and watching after ten minutes. He gets up and starts to give pointers on things he thinks would make it look sharper, and even if Taeyong at first feels a little annoyed, because this is his project, he must admit it looks better. They both are good dancers, but they have a few things each that they are really good at, and one of Ten's strengths is to take a choreography to the next level. 

The choreo was planned to be a solo, but as they get to the bridge it just so happens that making it a duet to mirror the moves works so well with the song, that Taeyong decides that it should probably be a duet or group choreo instead. 

They dance and dance and dance. It starts to look really good. They take a water break and Taeyong wipes his forehead with a towel. 

"This is fun!"

Ten laughs. "Yes it is. Thanks for letting me help, babe."

"You started helping by yourself, but I guess you're welcome," Taeyong chuckles. 

"Yeah, whatever." Ten launches himself at Taeyong, engulfing him in a hug to change the topic.

"Ewwww! Ten, I love you, but you are sweaty!" Taeyong is trying to shrug Ten off, but his grip is firm. 

"So are you, so hush, and accept my love."

"I can accept your love later, in the shower."

Just as he says that, the door opens and two of their friends come in. 

"Wow, I didn't need to hear that," Jinyoung says.

Minki responds. "As long as they don't do it in the in the changing room's showers we can't really stop them."

Taeyong just feels like sighing, but decides to just change the topic.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

"Just checking up on you. We are taking the class that starts here in about forty minutes but we heard you were in here. We are a bit early after all. Got anything nice to show?" 

"Actually, we do," Ten says. He looks at Taeyong as a way of asking if it is okay to show them. Taeyong shrugs. "It's not quite done yet, but we've had plenty of fun with it."

They turn on the music and get lost in the music. A few times when they get to the parts that aren't really finished they start laughing and making things up, and soon the song is over. 

Jinhwan and Minki starts clapping their hands. "Good job!" Minki exclaims, and then goes straight into discussing the technicalities of the choreography. 

This is why Ten and Taeyong are friends with them, they are great dancers and they have a huge passion for the art. They end up talking for almost ten minutes before Minki catches himself. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you'd like to try and finish the choreo. We should probably leave you alone for the last bit."

Taeyong is a little relieved when their friends close the door behind them. 

"I'm sorry if I made you show them the choreo," Ten apologizes. 

"It's okay, babe. They are our friends, and they seemed to really like it."

"I know, but you seem to really be passionate about this one. I don't want you to think that I'm trampling all over your feelings."

"Like I said, it's okay, dear." Taeyong leans in and pecks Ten's cheek. "Now let's get back to the music and finish this!"

\--

The day Ten has been dreaming of for a long time has finally come. He got accepted as a teacher at the dance studio! He had applied hoping but not wanting to expect anything and now he's floating on clouds. 

Taeyong had wanted to apply to but his jobs were finally taking off and how just got a 6 months paid internship for a movie production so he is trying to put all his effort into that, making sure it's going to lead to future opportunities. 

Now he's just outside the studio to pick Ten up. It's been a long day but he knows seeing his boyfriend beaming at him will give him energy. 

A moment later Ten bolts out through the doors.

"Tae! I did it! I fucking did it!" he screams. 

Taeyong catches him in his arms. "Hush, babe. It's late."

"Sorry! I'm just so damn happy!"

"And I am so happy for you! You really deserve it!" Taeyong burrows his face into Ten's neck. It smells of sweat but also of Ten. It smells like home. "Let's go home and celebrate."

They are both tired so on the subway the just sit together, leaning on each other and listening to music. Occasionally they say something or comment on the music, but mostly they just enjoy being together, even without words. 

\--

"You know I am proud of you, right?" 

"Lee Taeyong. Dear. You know I am proud of you too, right?" 

"No, now we're talking about you, Ten."

"I am talking about you, though. And I am proud that you chase your dreams and make progress like this. Soon you'll be manager of an entire movie production, I'm sure."

Taeyong giggles. "Now you're just making things up. I might never get there."

Ten raises his head from Taeyong's chest where it had been resting. "But you are so devoted and hard working, and skilled! I believe in you and will cheer you on all the way!"

"Thank you, love. Let me believe in and cheer on you too then. I know you can go far. As long as you don't stop dancing with me." Taeyong winks. 

"Never. You are my favourite person to dance with."

"Did you tell your parents about the job yet?" Taeyong asks. 

"Not yet. It was already pretty late when it was decided. But I will call them tomorrow."

"Good. And let's go to my place and tell Mom and Dad. They will be happy to know, and we can celebrate a little."

"That sounds nice."

Ten is quiet for a moment. Then he suggests that Taeyong massages him.

"But it's so boring." It only takes one look from Ten's puppy eyes makes him change his mind. "Okay, then. But only this once."

"Thank you, babe."

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading~<3 
> 
> if you have any thoughts or question don't be afraid of writing a comment ^^


End file.
